Written Answers Monday 23 November 2009

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many alcohol-related interventions there were in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. However, since April 2008, all health boards have reported on the number of alcohol brief interventions delivered as part of the NHS HEAT H4 target.

  The cumulative total of brief interventions undertaken between April 2008 and March 2009 were 26,499. The breakdown for each NHS board is as follows:

  

Ayrshire and Arran
1,515


Borders
211


Dumfries and Galloway
419


Fife
3,171


Forth Valley
2,067


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
7,603


Grampian
710


Highland
2,267


Lanarkshire
767


Lothian
3,826


Orkney
0


Shetland
35


Tayside
3,586


Western Isles
322



  Note: Owing to changes in partnership working arrangements, which resulted in a longer lead in period, NHS Orkney reported zero alcohol brief interventions in 2008-09. Delivery is now fully underway and NHS Orkney has reported 155 alcohol brief interventions have been undertaken across primary care and accident and emergency between April 2009 and end September 2009.

Alcohol Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of alcohol-related hospital admissions was repeat admissions in 2007-08, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The number of repeat admissions for patients with an alcohol-related diagnosis, by NHS board of treatment in 2007-08 is shown in the table below.

  ISD has recently carried out an in-depth review of its core alcohol-related code set as a result the codes for an alcohol-related diagnosis have been changed. Therefore figures may not be directly comparable with previously published figures. Full details of the consultation are available at:

  http://www.alcoholinformation.isdscotland.org/alcohol_misuse/files/ICD10_codes_final_report.pdf.

  General acute hospital admissions with an alcohol-related diagnosis in any position and repeat alcohol-related admissions (also expressed as a percentage), by NHS health board of treatment and discharged in 2007-08:

  

Health Board of Treatment
All Admissions
Repeat Admissions
Repeat Admissions (%)


Scotland
43,210
14,135
33


Ayrshire and Arran
3,883
1,177
30


Borders
745
193
26


Dumfries and Galloway
831
205
25


Fife
2,120
592
28


Forth Valley
1,379
375
27


Grampian
3,909
1,167
30


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
14,005
4,743
34


Highland
2,813
874
31


Lanarkshire
3,894
1,194
31


Lothian
6,692
2,382
36


Orkney
207
70
34


Shetland
128
24
19


Tayside
2,181
605
28


Western Isles
348
85
24


Unknown
75
1
1



  Source: Information Services Division, Scotland.

Alcohol Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement in the report, Model-Based Appraisal of Alcohol Minimum Pricing and Off-Licensed Trade Discount Bans in Scotland: A Scottish adaptation of the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model version 2, that a 40p minimum alcohol price is estimated to reduce chronic hospital admissions among moderate drinkers by 25 in year 1, to which alcohol-related chronic conditions this figure relates.

Nicola Sturgeon: The alcohol-related chronic conditions that are included within the Sheffield model for Scotland are shown in the following table, and cover wholly and partly attributable chronic conditions. The Scottish Government does not hold data on how the estimated 25 fewer hospital admissions in year 1 for moderate drinkers are distributed across these chronic conditions.

  Chronic Conditions Included in the Sheffield Alcohol Pricing Model: Scottish Adaption:

  Wholly Attributable Chronic Conditions:

  Alcohol-induced pseudo Cushing’s Syndrome,

  Wernicke’s encephalopathy,

  Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol,

  Alcoholic polyneuropathy,

  Alcoholic myopathy,

  Alcoholic cardiomyopathy,

  Alcoholic gastritis,

  Alcoholic liver disease,

  Alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis.

  Partly Attributable Chronic Conditions:

  Cancer of the lip oral cavity and pharynx,

  Oesophageal cancer,

  Colorectal cancer,

  Cancer of the liver and intrahepatic bile ducts,

  Laryngeal cancer,

  Breast cancer,

  Epilepsy and Status epilepticus,

  Hypertensive diseases,

  Coronary heart disease,

  Cardiac arrhythmias,

  Haemorrhagic stroke,

  Ischaemic stroke,

  Oesophageal varices,

  Mallory-Weiss syndrome,

  Unspecified liver disease,

  Portal hypertension,

  Cholelithiasis,

  Acute and other chronic pancreatitis,

  Psoriasis,

  Spontaneous abortion.

Alcohol Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement in the report, Model-Based Appraisal of Alcohol Minimum Pricing and Off-Licensed Trade Discount Bans in Scotland: A Scottish adaptation of the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model version 2, that a 40p minimum alcohol price is estimated to reduce chronic illnesses among moderate drinkers by 14 in year 1, to which alcohol-related chronic illnesses this figure relates.

Nicola Sturgeon: The alcohol-related chronic conditions that are included within the Sheffield model for Scotland are shown in the following table, and cover wholly and partly attributable chronic conditions. The Scottish Government does not hold data on how the estimated 14 fewer illness numbers in year 1 for moderate drinkers are distributed across these chronic conditions.

  Chronic Conditions Included in the Sheffield Alcohol Pricing Model: Scottish Adaption:

  Wholly Attributable Chronic Conditions:

  Alcohol-induced pseudo Cushing’s Syndrome

  Wernicke’s encephalopathy

  Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol

  Alcoholic polyneuropathy

  Alcoholic myopathy

  Alcoholic cardiomyopathy

  Alcoholic gastritis

  Alcoholic liver disease

  Alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis.

  Partly Attributable Chronic Conditions:

  Cancer of the lip oral cavity and pharynx

  Oesophageal cancer

  Colorectal cancer

  Cancer of the liver and intrahepatic bile ducts

  Laryngeal cancer

  Breast cancer

  Epilepsy and Status epilepticus

  Hypertensive diseases

  Coronary heart disease

  Cardiac arrhythmias

  Haemorrhagic stroke

  Ischaemic stroke

  Oesophageal varices

  Mallory-Weiss syndrome

  Unspecified liver disease

  Portal hypertension

  Cholelithiasis

  Acute and other chronic pancreatitis

  Psoriasis

  Spontaneous abortion.

Ambulance Service

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the ambulance response time is in minutes to (a) life-threatening and (b) non-life threatening calls, broken down by (i) NHS board area, (ii) Scottish Parliamentary constituency, (iii) national level of Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintiles and deciles from most to least deprived areas and (iv) NHS board level SIMD quintiles and deciles from most to least deprived areas, also showing postcode of patient.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.

Carers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was allocated to the development of carer information strategies and how that money has been spent.

Shona Robison: Within the Scottish budget, a total of £9 million has been allocated to NHS boards and to the Scottish Ambulance Service over a three year period from 2008-09 to 2010-11. The breakdown of funding is £1 million in 2008-09, £3 million in 2009-10 and £5 million in 2010-11.

  The funding is for the provision of information and training to help carers develop the knowledge and skills that they need to continue caring effectively, while looking after their own health. Boards must have regard to minimum standards set out in guidance. Reports from health boards on progress in 2008-09 are being considered with a view to holding a good practice/learning event in early 2010.

  We have encouraged health boards to post their original Carer Information Strategy plans, as approved, on their websites.

Carers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that future single outcome agreements include specific measures for carers.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28882 on 19 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  In relation to future single outcome agreements, it is a matter for each community planning partnership to derive its local outcomes from a profile of the social, economic and environmental conditions of the area.

  Moreover, the Carers Strategy for Scotland, to be published in the first half of 2010, is being developed in partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).

Civil Service Relocation

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs have been relocated since May 2007.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22228 on 21 April 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its press release of 5 October 2009 on financial education in the classroom, whether it will list the partners with which Learning and Teaching Scotland will work to "establish a delivery plan for financial education linked to numeracy developments in the context of Curriculum for Excellence."

Fiona Hyslop: Learning and Teaching Scotland will work in partnership with local authorities, schools, HM Inspectorate of Education, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, credit unions and representatives from the financial sector in Scotland on its financial education delivery plan.

Fertility Treatment

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards are not complying with national guidance on IVF treatment.

Shona Robison: In response to the recent questionnaire from Infertility Network Scotland, the following NHS boards consider they are partially complying with national guidance on IVF treatment and are continuing to work towards full compliance:

  NHS Fife,

  NHS Forth Valley,

  NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde,

  NHS Lothian and

  NHS Tayside.

  The remainder of boards consider they are fully compliant with national guidance.

Finance

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is regarding the exclusion of the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland from Lloyds Banking Group’s initial rights issue in May 2009.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s position is that the Lloyds TSB Foundation should be allocated all shares to which it is entitled.

Health

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) children and (b) adults were registered as (i) overweight, (ii) obese and (iii) morbidly obese in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The following tables outline the proportion of (a) children and (b) adults reported as (i) overweight, (ii) obese and (iii) morbidly obese in 1998, 2003 and 2008. Data are not available for intervening years as the Scottish Health Survey was carried out on an infrequent basis. From 2008 onwards, results will be available annually.

  (a) Overweight and Obesity in Children in Scotland, 1998-2008

  

Aged 2-15
1998
2003
2008


%
%
%


Boys
 
 
 


Overweight (inc Obese)1 
27.8
32.4
36.1


Obese (inc Morbidly Obese)2
13.0
15.6
16.8


Morbidly Obese3
6.8
8.2
9.0


Girls
 
 
 


Overweight (inc Obese)1 
28.3
28.9
26.9


Obese (inc Morbidly Obese)2
13.1
12.3
13.2


Morbidly Obese3
5.8
6.7
6.6


Sample Size (weighted)
 
 
 


Boys
967
1,205
653


Girls
915
1,159
611


Sample Size (unweighted)
 
 
 


Boys
1,742
1,172
637


Girls
1,675
1,191
630



  Source: Scottish Health Survey.

  Notes:

  1. Defined as BMI at or above 85th percentile of the UK reference curves.

  2. Defined as BMI at or above 95th percentile of the UK reference curves.

  3. Defined as BMI at or above 98th percentile of the UK reference curves.

  (b) Overweight and Obesity in Adults in Scotland, 1998-2008

  

Aged 16-641
1998
2003
2008


%
%
%


Men
 
 
 


Overweight (inc Obese) (BMI 25+)
61.0
64.0
66.3


Obese (inc Morbidly Obese) (BMI 30+)
18.8
22.0
24.9


Morbidly Obese (BMI 40+)
0.9
1.8
1.4


Women
 
 
 


Overweight (inc Obese) (BMI 25+)
52.2
57.3
59.6


Obese (inc Morbidly Obese) (BMI 30+)
20.9
23.8
26.5


Morbidly Obese (BMI 40+)
2.0
3.6
3.5


Sample Size (weighted)
 
 
 


Men
3,673
2,702
2,238


Women
3,572
2,776
2,257


Sample Size (unweighted)
 
 
 


Men
3,110
2,368
1,822


Women
3,783
2,908
2,293



  Source: Scottish Health Survey.

  Note: 1. The 16 to 64 age group has been used as a consistent measure across the three surveys as people aged over 65 were not surveyed in 1998. From 2003 onwards, all adults aged 16+ and headline figures on obesity prevalence generally relate to this age group.

  Results are not available broken down by NHS board for 2008, as sample sizes are not large enough to produce board level results after a single year. NHS board level results will be published in 2012, based on combined data from 2008-11.

  Some key results from the 2003 survey were provided by NHS board area, although the results of some boards have been amalgamated due to small sample sizes. This analysis is available on the Scottish Health Survey website via the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/11/25145024/50256.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it is reviewing the lay membership of managed clinical networks.

Nicola Sturgeon: Our Long Term Conditions Action Plan , published in June this year, asks NHS boards and the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland to review the structure of each managed clinical network to ensure that people with long-term conditions, their carers and the voluntary sector are enabled to participate in the planning, delivery and evaluation of services, drawing on experience from the Hearty Voices and similar programmes.

  The action is intended to underpin one of the core principles of all managed clinical networks: that they should include strong patient and voluntary sector participation. This represents a practical way of implementing our aim that improvements in the quality of healthcare services should draw directly on people’s own experience of service provision.

  The Voices Scotland programme, run by Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland and its third sector partners, provides training and support to lay people with heart disease, stroke, diabetes and respiratory conditions who wish to participate effectively in the work of their local managed clinical networks, as well as in wider initiatives relating to the NHS.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure lay representation at every level of the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are no planned changes to the current arrangements. NHS boards will continue to plan on the basis of ensuring appropriate lay representation at every level.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that all NHS boards comply with the standards of care and treatment for Crohn’s disease and colitis.

Shona Robison: Officials from the Scottish Government Health Directorates (SGHD) and NHS QIS have met representatives from the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (NACC) to discuss how the standards produced by the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Standards Group might be taken forward in Scotland.

  SGHD officials have suggested that an effective approach would be the development of IBD managed clinical networks (MCN), with the standards forming part of the network’s evidence base. That approach would also help promote the audit of IBD services, building on the UK-wide audits already undertaken in 2006 and 2008. We understand that the MCN approach is now being considered by a group of gastroenterologists.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that people continue to have access to traditional herbal medicines as currently used by traditional medicine practitioners.

Nicola Sturgeon: Practitioners of herbalism and traditional Chinese medicine are already able to use licensed herbal medicines and this will continue. They are also able to use certain unlicensed herbal medicines currently exempted from various licensing requirements through the Medicines Act 1968, but European legislation may impact on this after 2011. This was highlighted as a factor for consideration in a joint public consultation by all four UK countries on whether, and if so, how, practitioners of herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture should be regulated. That consultation closed on 16 November 2009. Over 4,000 responses were received and are to be analysed to inform future decisions.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-27498 and S3W-27497 by Nicola Sturgeon on 28 September 2009, for what reason it will not issue guidance to NHS boards requiring them to reopen negotiations with service providers of bedhead inpatient telephone services in order to reduce charges, despite issuing guidance to boards in relation to the use of premium rate telephone numbers by medical practices.

Nicola Sturgeon: Bedhead inpatient telephone services have been installed in hospitals, under arrangements agreed locally by NHS boards as an additional and optional means of communication for patients. NHS boards and NHS National Services Scotland have direct responsibility for negotiating these contracts. We have recently reminded NHS boards of the need to ensure that patients have access to public and portable payphones.

  Negotiations in relation to the issue of guidance on the use of premium rate telephone numbers by medical practices are ongoing.

Legislation

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the number of consultation exercises in relation to its legislation since May 2007, detailing in each case the (a) length of the consultation, (b) expenditure on publicity and (c) expenditure on events and promotion.

Bruce Crawford: Details of the consultation activity on Scottish Government bills can be found in the policy memorandum which is submitted with each bill. The following table details the information relating to primary legislation introduced since May 2007.

  

Legislation
Length of Formal Consultation
Expenditure On Publicity
Expenditure On Events And Promotion


Abolition of Bridge Tolls (Scotland) Bill
No formal consultation after May 2007
None
None


Arbitration (Scotland) Bill
12 weeks
None
None


Climate Change (Scotland) Bill
12 weeks
None
£1,997


Convention Rights Proceedings (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill
None
None
None


Creative Scotland Bill
No formal consultation after May 2007
None
None


Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill
Revitalising Justice – proposals to modernise and improve the criminal justice system provides a summary of consultation activities on the majority of topics included in the bill.
£2,062
None


Regarding consultations on other topics in the bill:Sentencing: 12 weeks,Retention and use of samples etc: eight weeks,Jury Service: 13 weeks,Disclosure and witness statements: 11 weeks.
None
None


Damages (Asbestos-related Conditions) (Scotland) Bill
Eight week consultation on the Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment
None
None


Education (Additional Support for Learning0(Scotland) Bill
14 weeks
£448
£68,021


Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Bill
10 weeks
£5,750
£18,102


Glasgow Commonwealth Games Bill
12 weeks
None
None


Graduate Endowment Abolition (Scotland) Bill
Eight weeks
None
None


Health Boards (Membership and Elections) (Scotland) Bill
12 weeks
None
£200


Home Owner and Debtor Protection (Scotland) Bill
The Bill measures are based on the discussion of legislative proposals by key stakeholders in both the Debt Action Forum and the Repossessions Group. A four week consultation on protection for tenants was published on 9 October.
None
None


Interpretation and Legislative Refrom Bill
12 weeks
None
£900


Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Bill
No formal consultation after May 2007
None
None


Legal Services (Scotland) Bill
12 weeks
None
None


Marine (Scotland) Bill
12 weeks
£3,003
£31,060


Public Health etc (Scotland) Bill
No formal consultation after May 2007
None
None


Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill
Deer Commission for Scotland/Scottish Natural Heritage merger: six weeks,Mental Welfare Commission proposals: eight weeks.
None
Consultative events with the creative and artistic sector on the establishment of Creative Scotland: £6,512


Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill
20 weeks
£186
£2,650


Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill
12 weeks
None
None


Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill
12 weeks
None
None


Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill
Formal consultations on the tobacco provisions in the bill were undertaken before May 2007.  Consultation on the primary medical services provisions: eight weeks. 
None
None

Medication

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage reduction is in the use of antidepressants since 2007.

Shona Robison: The defined daily dose per capita of antidepressants (percentage change) since 2006 is shown in the following table:

  

Year Ending
Scotland % change


30-06-2006
2.08%


30-09-2006
2.86%


31-12-2006
4.22%


31-03-2007
4.38%


30-06-2007
5.16%


30-09-2007
6.08%


31-12-2007
6.04%


31-03-2008
5.50%


30-06-2008
4.80%


30-09-2008
4.18%


31-12-2008
4.06%


31-03-2009
4.13%


30-06-2009
5.21%



  The table shows that in 2008 the percentage change was on the decrease. However the last quarter showed a slight rise.

  Information regarding the number of people on antidepressants is not currently collected, so we do not know whether the number of people taking antidepressants has increased. The table shows the amount of antidepressants prescribed, so increases can be attributable to the same number of people staying on an antidepressant for longer or the same number of people receiving a higher dose.

  The Mental Health Collaborative continues to work with NHS boards to support the development and implementation of action plans to improve evidence-based prescribing of DDDs.

NHS Boards

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a date has been set for elections to NHS boards in Fife and Dumfries and Galloway in 2010.

Nicola Sturgeon: The timetable for pilot elections to the health boards in Fife and Dumfries and Galloway is set out in The Health Board Elections (Scotland) Regulations 2009, which came into force on 12 October 2009.

  As these will be all postal elections, voting packs will be sent out to all those who will be eligible to vote between 8 and 13 May 2010. The poll will close at 4pm on 10 June 2010.

NHS Hospitals

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many accident and emergency departments there were per head of population in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: Accident and emergency (A&E) departments are generally sited in large hospitals. In addition to the service offered at these A&E departments, most boards also provide A&E services in smaller hospitals and through minor injury units. The following tables show the number of A&E departments per 100,000 population in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

  Table 1 shows the number of A&E departments per 100,000 population, for the years 1999 to 2006. The numbers of smaller hospitals offering A&E services and minor injury units are not available for this period.

  Table 1: Number of A&E Departmentsa per 100,000 population - 1999 to 2006

  

 
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006


Scotland
0.65
0.65
0.65
0.65
0.65
0.65
0.65
0.66


Argyll and Clydec
0.94
0.95
0.95
0.96
0.96
0.96
0.97
-


Ayrshire and Arran
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.55


Borders 
0.95
0.94
0.94
0.93
0.92
0.92
0.91
0.91


Dumfries and Galloway
0.67
0.68
0.68
0.68
0.68
0.68
0.67
0.68


Fife
0.58
0.57
0.57
0.57
0.57
0.56
0.56
0.56


Forth Valley
0.72
0.72
0.72
0.72
0.72
0.71
0.70
0.70


Grampian
0.57
0.57
0.57
0.57
0.57
0.57
0.57
0.57


Greater Glasgowc
0.69
0.69
0.69
0.69
0.69
0.69
0.69
0.76


Highlandc
0.48
0.48
0.48
0.48
0.48
0.47
0.47
0.65


Lanarkshire 
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.54


Lothian 
0.39
0.39
0.39
0.39
0.38
0.38
0.38
0.50


Orkney
5.15
5.18
5.20
5.21
5.18
5.13
5.10
5.06


Shetland
4.44
4.51
4.55
4.56
4.57
4.56
4.55
4.57


Tayside 
0.51
0.51
0.51
0.52
0.52
0.52
0.51
0.51


Western Isles 
3.68
3.73
3.78
3.82
3.83
3.81
3.79
3.80



  Notes:

  A. All A&E departments. Smaller hospitals offering A&E services and minor injury units are not included.

  B. Calculated using the latest 2008 mid-year population estimates (source: GROS).

  C. On 1 April 2006, Argyll and Clyde was dissolved and restructured into Greater Glasgow and Highland. Greater Glasgow was renamed as Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

  Table 2 shows both the number of A&E departments (core sites) and the number of smaller hospitals offering A&E services and minor injury units (non core sites) per 100,000 population, for the years 2007 to 2009.

  Table 2: Number of A&E Departments and Other A&E Services Per 100,000 Population – 2007-09

  

 
2007
2008
2009a


A&E Departments
Other
A&E Departments
Other
A&E Departments
Other


Scotland
0.66
1.05
0.66
1.08
0.66
1.14


Ayrshire and Arran
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.82
0.54
0.82


Borders 
0.90
3.59
0.89
3.56
0.89
3.56


Dumfries and Galloway 
0.67
2.70
0.67
2.69
0.67
2.69


Fife
0.55
0.55
0.55
0.55
0.55
0.55


Forth Valley
0.69
0.00
0.69
0.00
0.69
0.00


Grampian
0.56
2.62
0.56
2.59
0.56
2.59


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
0.75
0.00
0.75
0.00
0.75
0.00


Highland
0.65
5.83
0.65
5.49
0.65
5.49


Lanarkshire 
0.54
0.36
0.53
0.36
0.53
0.36


Lothian 
0.49
0.00
0.49
0.24
0.49
0.24


Orkney
5.04
0.00
5.03
0.00
5.03
0.00


Shetland
4.56
0.00
4.55
0.00
4.55
0.00


Tayside 
0.51
1.52
0.50
1.51
0.50
2.27


Western Isles 
3.80
7.60
3.82
7.63
3.82
7.63



  Notes:

  A. Calculated using the latest 2008 mid-year population estimates (source: GROS).

  B. "Other" includes all smaller hospitals offering A&E services and minor injury units.

NHS Hospitals

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what that average waiting time was for treatment at accident and emergency departments in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The national target is that 98% of patients will wait no longer than four hours between arrival at an accident and emergency department and admission, discharge or transfer. NHSScotland have consistently delivered this target since it was introduced at the end of December 2007.

  The median waiting time from arrival to leaving an accident and emergency (A&E) department in each year since 1999, by health board, is provided in the following tables.

  Prior to 2007, A&E waiting times data was collected through an annual census covering a three or seven day period in April. The census between 1999 to 2005 only covers the core A&E hospitals across Scotland. In 2006, the survey was expanded to cover all A&E departments, including minor injury units. Only information from the core A&E sites has been provided.

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Timesa Spent in A&E - 1999 to 2006

  

 
Median Wait (Minutes)


1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006b


Length of Survey (Days)
7
7
7
7
3
3
3
7


NHS Board
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Argyll and Clyde
64
68
77
80
84
101
84
x


Ayrshire and Arran
88
82
86
100
78
108
106
x


Borders
60
78
101
122
120
81
130
x


Dumfries and Galloway
41
59
62
67
53
87
102
x


Fife
65
81
60
89
95
123
103
x


Forth Valley
65
75
90
119
75
90
97
x


Grampian
72
57
91
93
96
94
93
x


Greater Glasgow
72
80
90
96
95
106
99
x


Highland
47
47
83
90
63
127
84
x


Lanarkshire
66
82
99
98
 84
111
142
x


Lothian
89
96
111
93
110
111
108
x


Orkney
30
30
25
31
30
35
25
x


Shetland
50
35
50
50
53
35
60
x


Tayside
69
60
68
75
75
100
100
x


Western Isles
45
40
55
40
60
50
60
x


NHS Scotland
70
76
87
92
89
105
104
105



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  A. The final time in surveys prior to 2005 was defined as "time left A&E department" and from 2005 onwards as "time of discharge, admission or transfer". This change means that data between surveys is not directly comparable. Caution should be exercised in interpreting this trend because of inconsistencies in definition in the information captured by these surveys.

  B. The data from the 2006 survey is not readily available at NHS board level.

  Since 2007, detailed daily data has been collected at all large hospitals containing an A&E department (core sites). Smaller hospitals and minor injury units do not generally collect data at this level and are therefore not included in the following table.

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Timesa Spent in A&E - Financial Years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 to Date

  

NHS Board
Median Wait (Minutes)


2007-08b
2008-09
2009-10c


Ayrshire and Arran
84
95
97


Borders
83
91
93


Dumfries and Galloway
78
76
86


Fife
87
93
98


Forth Valley
85
88
92


Grampian
94
105
108


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
99
99
104


Highland
86
88
82


Lanarkshire
101
102
106


Lothian
116
119
129


Orkneyd
x
x
x


Shetland
75
78
69


Tayside
86
88
89


Western Isles
78
75
74


NHSScotland
96
99
104



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  A. The waiting time is defined as the time of arrival until the time of discharge, admission or transfer.

  B. Detailed waiting time data only provided from 1 July 2007.

  C. Latest data available - 1 April to 30 June 2009.

  D. No core site in Orkney.

  Due to the different methods of data collection, caution should be taken when comparing the two tables.

NHS Waiting Times

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for people to be assessed for sleep apnoea, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not available centrally.

  The current waiting time standard of six weeks for eight key diagnostic tests does not cover tests for sleep apnoea. Sleep apnoea services will, however, be covered by the 18 weeks referral to treatment target which is due to be delivered by the end of 2011. NHS boards are now working to reduce long waits in services previously excluded from waiting time standards to ensure delivery of the 18 weeks referral to treatment target.

Public Sector Staff

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28176 by Jim Mather on 6 November 2009, how much would be saved if all chief executives of public bodies contacted waived their full bonuses.

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28176 by Jim Mather on 6 November 2009, how much it expects to save following its request to the chairs of public bodies regarding a waiver of bonuses by chief executives.

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28176 by Jim Mather on 6 November 2009, which chief executives of public bodies contacted have agreed to waive their bonuses, showing the proportion of bonus waived and the amount saved.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28849 on 18 November. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Respite Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines respite care.

Shona Robison: For the purposes of the concordat commitment in relation to the additional 10,000 respite weeks, the Scottish Government, COSLA and ADSW agreed that local authorities would use the Audit Scotland definition of respite. This covers overnight respite in a care home, other overnight respite not in a care home, day centre respite and other daytime respite, by categories of children 0-17 with disabilities, adults aged 18 to 64 and older people aged 65+.

  The Guidance on Short Breaks (Respite) issued jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA provides a broad definition of short breaks (respite) including befriending schemes where volunteers provide short breaks.

Respite Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the additional 10,000 respite weeks contained in its concordat with COSLA have been allocated.

Shona Robison: Under the terms of the concordat, the additional 10,000 respite weeks are to be provided Scotland-wide, with no specific allocation of weeks to each local authority.

Respite Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated to local authorities for the provision of 10,000 additional respite weeks as referred to in its concordat with COSLA.

Shona Robison: In addition to the concordat funding, as part of the overall local government settlement, the Scottish Government allocated an additional £1.37 million in 2009-10 and a further £2.82 million in 2010-11 to enable local authorities to deliver an extra 10,000 respite weeks by March 2011.

Scottish Government Funding

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the £1.109 million provided to Citizens Advice Scotland in 2009-10 to assist in increasing its capacity for giving advice throughout Scotland, whether similar funding will be made available in 2010-11.

Alex Neil: Our spending proposals for 2010-11 are set out in the draft budget, published on 17 September.

Scottish Health Council

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it is reviewing the lay membership of the Scottish Health Council.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Health Council is committed to developing and improving its volunteer and public participation structures and, following the independent review of its organisational functions and structure, is now in the process of reviewing these elements. The review, which is being led by the chairman of the Scottish Health Council, involves a wide range of stakeholders and individuals, including local advisory council members and will enable the Scottish Health Council to develop a new strategy for public involvement within the restructured organisation.

Sex Offenders

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many referrals have been made to the police by a parent, carer or guardian as part of the Child Sex Offender Community Disclosure Scheme in Tayside since the pilot was launched on 21 September 2009.

Kenny MacAskill: Currently, Tayside police have received 13 applications. A further four enquiries were received which did not meet the pilot criteria and suitable child protection advice was given. These figures are encouraging and represent 13 pieces of new information that may provide crucial protection for children who otherwise might be at risk.

Teachers

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers are seeking employment.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not collect statistics on how many teachers are seeking employment. We are aware, however, from the jobseeker claimant count figures published by the Office of National Statistics, that in October this year 560 teachers in Scotland were in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance. This represents 10.4 per 1,000 of the teaching workforce in Scotland, compared to 13.1 in England, 14.3 in Wales and 21.9 in Northern Ireland.